Friday 5 October 2012

The orchestra plays on - a poem

I wake to hear the orchestra is tuning,

The notes ring disconnected through my mind,

Fragments of a tune I can’t remember,

A melody I knew, but left behind.



A double bass begins between my shoulders;

The rage of age, that surges up my spine,

plucks and pulls at sinews, twists and ties them.

Jarring sounds I cannot quite define.



Joining in, the beat of the percussion,

Insistent tapping just behind my knee,

The rhythmic knock that hides a quieter clicking;

A hip that is no longer dancing free



The choir is getting louder, asking questions,

Shouting down the soothing call of sleep,

Insistent, as it builds to a crescendo;

Roaring past, the years I cannot keep.

10 comments:

Gabi BK said...

Beautyful!

NA said...

Is it unfortunate that I can relate to that and am still in my 20's... what am I to do?

Elephant's Child said...

Ouch. I would really, really like not to be able to understand OR relate to this poem.
A wonderful tribute to the things gone before us...

Anonymous said...

Love this Sharon. I try to avoid even thinking about getting older - the aches and pains etc.

The Idiot said...

I felt every word of that.

I'm a real snarky bastard with poetry, and always find myself tripping over the jarring bit that seemingly no one but me is aware of. However, this is snark free.

Unknown said...

There are plenty out there who can type words, but not many who can feel the words inside of themselves first. You either have it or not, it is as simple as that. You dear lady, have it.

Seek out Fingal O'Flahertie Wills in his normal guise. Read what is not written, look at how he feels every delectable letter in his soul. He is akin in style to your good self. Compliments do not come much higher than that.

Sharon Longworth said...

Gabi BK - thank you!

Christine - celebrate that you are still in your 20s, enjoy every minute of it and do something outrageous on a regular basis - that'll put the aches out of your mind!

The Elephant's Child - I'm sorry for sharing out the ouches!

Sharon Longworth said...

Dicky - thank you. I seem to be thinking about the aches more and more - I should probably follow my own advice and do something outrageous...

IG - I am flattered by your non-snarkiness - thank you.

Chef Files - I owe you two thank yous. The first for introducing me to Fingal (I only knew of his first and last name until your comment today); the second for the compliment - which as you so rightly say, couldn't come much higher. I am delighted.

Pat said...

Sharon I know of what you speak but soon will have a 5" mattress topper and then all will be well.

William Dameron said...

Such a musical, lovely poem about something not always so musical and lovely. You tackle it with your typical wisdom and grace.